How to Train Your Dragon 2
2014 · Directed by Dean DeBlois
Original language: English
- fantasy
- action
- adventure
- animation
- family
The story
Five years after uniting the dragons and Vikings of Berk, Hiccup and Toothless soar beyond their homeland, charting the vast unknown. During one of their adventures, the pair discover a secret cave that houses hundreds of wild dragons—and a mysterious dragon rider with a startling connection to Hiccup. And as the ruthless conqueror Drago Bludvist rises to seize control of both dragons and people alike, Hiccup must step into his role as a true leader and, alongside his friends and Toothless, protect Berk from a devastating war.
What it’s like
Vast, cloud-piled skies and sweeping aerial camerawork give this animated fantasy its sense of scale: wide, open landscapes of sea, glacier and mountain rendered in luminous blues and silvers, with the dragons' glowing bioluminescent cave and misty fjords offering moments of hushed wonder. The score by John Powell swells with orchestral warmth and Celtic-tinged strings, quieting into tender piano whenever the story turns to friendship and loss. Its vibe is windswept and bittersweet, a family adventure with a melancholy undertow that suits a rainy weekend afternoon or a sit-down with a sibling or kid. The pacing alternates exhilarating flight sequences with long, reflective stretches focused on a young man learning to lead while grieving and confronting a father-like figure's ambitions. Violence is present and occasionally intense: battles with fire-breathing dragons, a few sudden deaths and a dark, threatening conqueror, though it stays bloodless and largely bloodless-cartoon in its impact. It fits viewers who want a big-hearted, emotionally textured adventure for all ages, with real stakes handled gently.
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